Mirror

Going out to lunch wasn't working out.

Jainey wasn't happy. She wanted soda. And a different sandwich. And probably a different mother. I tried the usual tactics. No go....


I don't know what came over me, but I just switched. Kyle handed me my water and I became Jainey. " I don't want this water! I wanted sprite!" Jainey's eyes got wide. I kept going. " I am not going to drink this. I need soda. And I want something different to eat. I don't want to be here!" I stomped my feet and put my head down on the table.



By now Jainey was in full mom mode. "Mom, stop it right now! If you keep this up they are going to kick us out! You are embarrassing me!"


Katie was laughing. "Jainey, she is only doing what you just did."


And then I spilled my water.

Heaven

I don't need a paycheck this week! As the cutest little Kindergarten class ever lined up to go back to class, they all began to wave goodbye. Then I felt a little tug on my name tag. "Goodbye, Mrs H.," the little voice said. "H must stand for Mrs Heaven or something" he said.

I think hearts really can melt.....

Katie's Breakfast

My 10 year old is going to start creating negative commercials.

Case in point:

"I can't eat any of these cereals! They are dry and flavorless and taste like you just picked them from the wheat field!"

Band Groupie

We parked the car and headed in to Kyle's band concert. Jainey was sure slow behind me and then I noticed why. She has taken such a liking to this rooster hot pad that I bought in Hawaii...but not like you would think. She practices balancing it on her head. Tonight would prove no exception and she planned to show off her newfound talent. Slowly, slowly she balanced the hot pad from the car, into the school, up the long hallway and into the auditorium. Of course the girls had saved us some seats...on the front row.

She gave the hot pad a rest for a little while and began writing furiously in her notebook. Soon she brought me the page she'd been working on.

Rols at the band

1 Be Quite

2 Lison

3 on task on time

4 dont be a drekshun

I have to admit I was impressed (even though I giggled a little). On task on time? I guess she has been listening in class :) And #4...Don't be a distraction. Well, I was intrigued.

I reminded her to keep her papers quiet (or quite) and she headed back to her seat.

She put her hot pad back on her head and listened through the first few songs. I really wondered how well we were doing on rule (or rol) #4 but the best was yet to come.

She got out her notepad again and hurriedly wrote two more pages:

Grate Band Evre one terifik

and

You are the best band

These she proceded to hold up with gusto the entire time Kyle's band played. I have an 8 year old groupie!

Suitcase

All the kids have sleep over plans. Jainey has packed her own suitcase:

Three shirts (two may fit her)
Two swim suit cover ups (no swim suit)
Slippers
Three pairs of underwear (0nly one is her size)
Bulk package of rubber bands
Bulk package of safety pins

You can never be too prepared. For a fashion emergency.

The Perfect Answer

When Jainey wakes up early, she doesn't come find me like the other kids used to do. She is a very independent soul. I can usually trace her activities by the path she leaves behind her. I find a Polly Pocket circus in the bathroom or a lego fest in the living room. Generally the bulk of her time is spent in the kitchen and Wednesday morning was no exception.
An empty Girl Scout cookie box lay all alone on the counter. She had been eyeing them for days, I must confess. I casually mentioned it at our hurried breakfast. "So, Jainey, how many cookies did you have this morning?"
"Uh....one?"
"Just one cookie?" I probed
"Well, two." she confessed.
"Is that your final answer?" I said. "Because I think the box had more in it, and you don't want to lie to me, do you? I think you want to tell me the truth. And I hope you didn't eat more because you could have a stomach ache and....."
Honestly I was beginning to go on a little and we both knew it.
Jainey had the perfect solution.
"Hey mom...why don't you ask God? He was watching me the whole time I ate them."

Honesty

A grade school library tech has to be the best job EVER! I took a week off work for my vacation. I came back to near hero status. "You're back!" came the shouts. "How was your trip?" asked wide little eyes, and they really listened to the answer. 30 little faces sat with rapt attention while I read Goodnight Hawaiian Moon. They loved that I brought them something.

The day continued with hugs, smiles, high fives and such. I was literally beaming. Recess duty came around and I was on cloud nine. More hugs and it was even sunny to boot. You couldn't bring me down!

Just as recess was nearing it's end, I watched a little boy heading straight for the mud puddle. "Go around the puddle" I cautioned. He must not have heard me....a little louder I yelled "Around the puddle, buddy...." Slosh, slosh, slosh. By the time I reached him, he had succeeded in muddying his beautiful white tennis shoes.

I took his little face in my hands and said "Bud, you are supposed to go around the mud puddle". He scrunched up his eyes and mouth and gave me a look...not exactly happy to see me. "I thought you were in Hawaii!" he said.